It was very clever writing in my opinion to mix the emotional Connie situation with the hilarity of Sam as a beauty pageant contestant. There are plenty of episodes that are purely heavy subject matter such as one of his later teenage girl leaps, Raped. In fact directly following this leap is Back on White on Fire which is insanely heavy with hate and violence. To have immediately proceeded that with 100% focus on Connie's story (which probably would have meant changing the setting and exploring more into the vague implication that the photographer had tried to rape her) could have been a bit much to take in all at once.

Besides, his costume designer had hated making female clothes for man so he probably got some revenge in this episode off of sticking Scott in what I personally find to be his most horrid female outfits. XD Massive respect and admiration Scott.

This one is kind of a throwback to What Price Gloria, in that the fact that Sam is a woman is totally played for laughs, whereas in Another Mother it's treated very matter-of-factly. As in What Price Gloria, Sam is mortified to be wearing dresses, poodle skirts, and has a look of resignation on his face akin to sulking over his fate. It's incredibly funny as the costumes become more and more embarrassing. I still crack up at the thought of him in the hotel lobby with his "Miss Sugar Belle" sash and his tiara.

I think my favourite part of the episode is just after Sam's told by Peg that he needs to be at the pool in his bathing suit, then we see all these shots of gorgeous female legs parading about (almost dancing), juxtaposed against Sam's muscular, hairy legs, walking in like it's the most horrible walk he's ever done. Cracks me up every time! XD

Despite some things I didn't like here and there, this was a great episode in my opinion. I thought it was an excellent commentary on the Tyranny Of Beauty (OK, I was a bit inspired by Tangerine Dream to say this, haha!). Of course it was very funny and very intense at some point.

Things I disliked...

Sam and Al singing and dancing along with "Cuanta La Gusta" (?). Looked a bit ridiculous, in my opinion, and, for some reason, I don't like that song, but it looks like it was something Tommy Thompson loved. He also used it in "Leaping In Without A Net". Also, Sam and Al say something along the lines thay they had never heard it before, and that was not true. From Sam it's understood, but not from Al. Oh well, little details, haha!

Another thing was what someone mentioned above: Sam telling Al that he wished that Katie was there to see that. Does not make any sense at all. Even Al kinda flinches a bit at this thought.

And the last thing: The character of the woman who is running the contest, don't remember her name right now. She was a bit over-the-top. I couldn't stand her voice, haha!

My favorite part: When Sam was going to throw Mr. Beaumont out the window. Loved that whole scene. Every punch he throws at him, too, and how he says "aw, sorry!" everytime. Oh, delicious! I sounded a bit like Zoey here, hahaha!

He also used it in "Leaping In Without A Net". Also, Sam and Al say something along the lines thay they had never heard it before, and that was not true. From Sam it's understood, but not from Al. Oh well, little details, haha!

Actually that is not an error. Sam showed up a few minutes into the 'Quanto Le Gusto' act but was backstage and busy getting yelled at by the father. The minute prior to finding out he wouldn't be going up in the trapeze he was probably too filled with terror to notice the other act. Even so Sam swiss-cheeses anew with each leap. Al missed the act entirely, he entered when the Panzini act begun.
So it was true in this episode that neither of them knew this song.

Actually that is not an error. Sam showed up a few minutes into the 'Quanto Le Gusto' act but was backstage and busy getting yelled at by the father. The minute prior to finding out he wouldn't be going up in the trapeze he was probably too filled with terror to notice the other act. Even so Sam swiss-cheeses anew with each leap. Al missed the act entirely, he entered when the Panzini act begun.
So it was true in this episode that neither of them knew this song.

Episode Tidbit: We know the gummi bear handlink to have been introduced two episodes after this in The Great Spontini after Al kills the transparent one but if you watch closely during the Sam/Al conversation in this episode which takes place after Sam makes an idiot of poor Darlene by not being able to get his parasail open, Al is using the gummi bear link here. Just picked up on this by accident last time I watched but forgot to pay attention to the ones he uses in other scenes after. My guess is that he has the gummi bear handlink the entire episode.

Episode Tidbit: We know the gummi bear handlink to have been introduced two episodes after this in The Great Spontini after Al kills the transparent one but if you watch closely during the Sam/Al conversation in this episode which takes place after Sam makes an idiot of poor Darlene by not being able to get his parasail open, Al is using the gummi bear link here. Just picked up on this by accident last time I watched but forgot to pay attention to the ones he uses in other scenes after. My guess is that he has the gummi bear handlink the entire episode.

Yes I noticed this as well, my guess is that "The Great Spontini" was intended to be shown before this episode, but got pushed back for whatever reason or other. We have to remember that for the vast majority of the series, the episodes are interchangeable, this is just a continuity error that was made by someone who assumed that they always were :P

Yes I noticed this as well, my guess is that "The Great Spontini" was intended to be shown before this episode, but got pushed back for whatever reason or other. We have to remember that for the vast majority of the series, the episodes are interchangeable, this is just a continuity error that was made by someone who assumed that they always were :P

I don't remember where exactly I read this (for all I know, it may have even been in this same site), but it's a fact that "The Great Spontini" was originally supposed to be shown before "The Boogiem*n". I think it said something about it being delayed as to not interfere with the Halloween festivities that year.

If you notice, the very first episode to ever show the Gummi Bear was "The Boogiem*n" and it's introduced there without any explanation whatsoever. When re-watching the series, I thought it was kinda cool because that way I could picture Devil Al knowing the future of the handlink's design. Why "The Great Spontini" was pushed farther up until after "Black On White On Fire", I don't know, but it's interesting to know this. It can be clearly seen. Even the filming itself shows everything was pre-Boogiem*n.

Edit: Thinking about it a bit more, probably "The Great Spontini" was shown after "Black On White On Fire" to ease the pain and the tension from the previous episode a little bit. It was definitely needed and it was a clever move. Showing "Black On White On Fire" and immediately after that "Rebel Without A Clue" wouldn't have ever broken any tension and potential audiences would've been lost.

True, the gummi bear link was used by both Als in Boogym*n, my mind slipped on that for a moment (BTW you can totally tell that the devil's is fake by how it clicks like a plastic toy and doesn't light up or squeal).

The Great Spontini having been originally intended for before Boogym*n is new knowledge to me. I had considered that the episodes were not filmed in the order they were aired however the end teasers of all three episodes that proceed The Great Spontini were correctly correspondent to each other. Were they able to change the ending teasers?

True, the gummi bear link was used by both Als in Boogym*n, my mind slipped on that for a moment (BTW you can totally tell that the devil's is fake by how it clicks like a plastic toy and doesn't light up or squeal).

The Great Spontini having been originally intended for before Boogym*n is new knowledge to me. I had considered that the episodes were not filmed in the order they were aired however the end teasers of all three episodes that proceed The Great Spontini were correctly correspondent to each other. Were they able to change the ending teasers?

Yeah, I believe the editing was particularly easy because they were never actually released that way, meaning the order: "The Great Spontini", "The Boogiem*n", "Miss Deep South", etc. They just filmed TGS before The B episode, but never released it until after BOWOF. I don't think TGS had a teaser ending for the next episode until it was fully accommodated.

I like the order that they did show the episodes. The Boog*eman was creepy as Hell, followed by Miss Deep South which was hilarious and light-hearted, then Black on White on Fire which had a much more serious and violent tone, to the Great Spontini which was again more light-hearted. It's just a shame that they forgot about the continuity error.

Maybe we could just say that since Al had been having trouble with the brown handlink for quite some time, that he would occasionally switch it out for the Gummi Bear one, until he had to permanently make the change when he killed the brown one in The Great Spontini :P

Agreed that the order is perfect as it turned out. To have sandwiched the extremely heavy Black on White on Fire between two lighter hearted and humorous episodes, this one and The Great Spontini was brilliant. Boogym*n would have fit in well anywhere honestly.

Just wanted to chime in on the final scene, with Sam winning the pageant, crying and saying he wished Katie was there to see this - I think Sam's mind was merging with Darlene's. Darlene had very high hopes of being able to go to university and become a doctor, so Sam was probably feeling her relief at the hard work paying off and being able to follow her dreams. I think he said the Katie line just because he thought Katie would have loved the experience a lot more than he did :P

Why would Peg hire Clint, considering the Hell he put her through when he made her pose naked during a photo shoot.

Let's remember that Peg was a former Miss Deep South, and that Al said naked pictures of contestants are a lot more valuable if the contestant wins. Also, when Sam grills Peg about disqualifying Connie but letting Clint stay, AND giving him back Connie's pictures, she clearly tries to avoid the question.

So I think Clint was blackmailing Peg. It would make perfect sense, plus when Peg fires Clint, he tells her she has too much to lose. He obviously still has Peg's photographs, having never sold them due to his ongoing position as pageant photographer, to be able to keep doing what he had been doing.

I like seeing Sam beat the living **** out of him and hanging him out the window even more now

It's not bluntly stated, but the specified fact that Peg didn't win her pageant ("I would have won had one of my batons not failed to ignite") is a pretty clear indicator that Clint still had her photos since as Al pointed out the nude contestant photos were most valuable when they were of winners. So someone with motives like Clint certainly wouldn't sell nude photos of any less. It's also strongly hinted at in the scene where she fired him when he says "You've got too much to lose" with this condescending expression and tone that's saying "You know what I can do to you *****!"

Another thing that can be considered is if you pay close attention Sam and Connie end up destroying two roles of film, one could speculate that one roll was Peg's.

I'm pretty sure the only reason he'd ended up selling Connie's photos to some sleazy calendar in the original history was because she'd vanished and thus couldn't be blackmailed and she couldn't have taken out a lawsuit against him without coming out of hiding.

It's not bluntly stated, but the specified fact that Peg didn't win her pageant ("I would have won had one of my batons not failed to ignite") is a pretty clear indicator that Clint still had her photos since as Al pointed out the nude contestant photos were most valuable when they were of winners. So someone with motives like Clint certainly wouldn't sell nude photos of any less. It's also strongly hinted at in the scene where she fired him when he says "You've got too much to lose" with this condescending expression and tone that's saying "You know what I can do to you *****!"

Another thing that can be considered is if you pay close attention Sam and Connie end up destroying two roles of film, one could speculate that one roll was Peg's.

I'm pretty sure the only reason he'd ended up selling Connie's photos to some sleazy calendar in the original history was because she'd vanished and thus couldn't be blackmailed and she couldn't have taken out a lawsuit against him without coming out of hiding.

But when Peg introduced herself to Sam, she said she was Miss Deep South in 1946, as well as parroting off a string of other pageants she had won, with just that other exception because her batons failed to ignite. But that wasn't the Miss Deep South pageant.

Lovely to see you back here btw SBF

Edit: I think you're correct that because there were two rolls, the other roll was probably Peg's photos. He must have quickly retrieved it for when Peg grilled him about taking the photos of Connie, just to prove that he still had them and would take her down with him if he went down.

Crap, you're right, I'd forgotten she did specify being a Miss Deep South winner so it was a different pageant she'd been runner-up in due to her baton malfunction.
That actually would better justify the notion that Clint hadn't sold her photos because they were blackmail leverage so that he could continue working at the pageant.

And thank you Lightning McQueenie, if ever you see the words 'Sam Becket Fan never returned home' don't buy it.
I'll never truly abandon this place.